Improving complex shear modulus imaging quality through enhanced frequency combination techniques

This study aims to improve the accuracy of complex shear modulus imaging (CSMI), a technique used to assess the elasticity and viscosity of soft tissues, essential for analyzing tissue structure and detecting tumors. CSMI methods are primarily divided into quasi-static and dynamic approaches, with the dynamic method estimating the complex shear modulus (CSM) by combining particle velocity measurements with force excitation. However, CSM estimation is vulnerable to errors from noise and the estimation method itself. To address noise, various filtering techniques are commonly applied. Additionally, errors from the estimation process can be minimized using approaches like frequency combination methods. In this research, we introduce an enhanced frequency combination method that substantially increases the accuracy of CSM parameter estimation, leading to higher quality CSMI outcomes. The proposed method achieves the lowest estimation error and the highest Q-index value compared to previous works. The proposed approach offers a valuable advancement in soft tissue imaging, supporting more reliable and precise diagnostic capabilities.